Gyroscopic cup holder

ABSTRACT

Some embodiments of the present disclosure include a gimbaled beverage container holder configured to attach to an external object, such as luggage handles or other transport device. The holder may include an outer ring, middle ring, and removable inner ring and may use a center of gravity two axes gimbal to stabilize a beverage in the container in a reduced spill, near vertical position. The beverage container may be accommodated within the removable inner ring, providing two axes, or the larger middle ring, providing one axis, wherein each ring may rotate independently. The outer ring may include at least one attachment device, such as an outer ring arm and/or an outer ring clip, to which may provide interchangeable attachments to most external objects or transport devices.

RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priority to provisional patent application U.S. Ser. No. 62/052,290 filed on Sep. 18, 2014, the entire contents of which is herein incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND

The embodiments herein relate generally to travel accessories, and more particularly, to a gyroscopic cup holder configured to attached to various items, such as handles on luggage, tray tables on planes, and vents in vehicles.

For travelers, balancing luggage, a snack, personal items, and a drink can be difficult, often resulting in spilling of beverages either while walking around or while seated on, for example, a plane or in a car. There are some cup holders that exist that attach to luggage. However, these conventional cup holders are not adapted to many size drinks and do not easily attach to luggage or moving vehicles.

Therefore, what is needed is a cup holder that can easily attach to luggage or a moving vehicle, while simultaneously accommodating various size beverage containers and preventing or reducing the likelihood that a liquid stored within the beverage container will spill.

SUMMARY

Some embodiments of the present disclosure include a cup holder configured to hold and stabilize a beverage container, the cup holder being configured to attach to an external object. The cup holder may include an inner ring configured to accommodate the beverage container, a middle ring rotationally attached to the inner ring, an outer ring rotationally attached to the middle ring, and at least one attachment device to attach the outer ring to the external object. For example, the outer ring may be an outer ring arm extending from the outer ring or an outer ring clip extending from the external surface of the outer ring, the outer ring clip having a T-shaped tab configured to engage with a removable and interchangeable securing attachment. Some embodiments may include both an outer ring arm and an outer ring clip.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

The detailed description of some embodiments of the invention is made below with reference to the accompanying figures, wherein like numerals represent corresponding parts of the figures.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 5A is a bottom perspective view of one embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 5B is a perspective view of one embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 6 is an exploded view of one embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 7 is a section detail view of one embodiment of the present disclosure, taken along line 7-7 in FIG. 1.

FIG. 8 is a section detail view of one embodiment of the present disclosure, taken along line 8-8 in FIG. 1.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 10 is perspective view of one embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 11 is a detail perspective view of one embodiment of the present disclosure taken along line 11-11 in FIG. 9.

FIG. 12A is a perspective view of one embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 12B is a perspective view of one embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 13 is a section detail view of one embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 14 is a detail perspective view of one embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 15 is a section detail view of one embodiment of the present disclosure, taken along line 15-15 in FIG. 14.

FIG. 16 is a detail perspective view of one embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 17 is a section detail view of one embodiment of the present disclosure, taken along line 17-17 in FIG. 16.

FIG. 18A is a perspective view of one embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 18B is a section detail view of one embodiment of the present disclosure, taken along line 18B-18B in FIG. 18A.

FIG. 19 is a perspective detail view of one embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 20 is a section detail view of one embodiment of the present disclosure, taken along line 20-20 in FIG. 18.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF CERTAIN EMBODIMENTS

In the following detailed description of the invention, numerous details, examples, and embodiments of the invention are described. However, it will be clear and apparent to one skilled in the art that the invention is not limited to the embodiments set forth and that the invention can be adapted for any of several applications.

The device of the present disclosure may be used to hold a beverage container and may comprise the following elements. This list of possible constituent elements is intended to be exemplary only, and it is not intended that this list be used to limit the device of the present application to just these elements. Persons having ordinary skill in the art relevant to the present disclosure may understand there to be equivalent elements that may be substituted within the present disclosure without changing the essential function or operation of the device.

1. Inner Ring

2. Middle Ring

3. Outer Ring

4. Attachment Device

The various elements of the gyroscopic cub holder for holding a beverage of the present disclosure may be related in the following exemplary fashion. It is not intended to limit the scope or nature of the relationships between the various elements and the following examples are presented as illustrative examples only.

By way of example, and referring to FIGS. 1-20, some embodiments of the gyroscopic cup holder 10 of the present disclosure comprise an inner ring 42 configured to accommodate a beverage container 46, a middle ring 36 rotationally attached to the inner ring 42, the middle ring 36 having a diameter larger than the inner ring 42, an outer ring 12 rotationally attached to the middle ring 36, the outer ring 12 having a diameter larger than the middle ring 36, and an attachment device extending from an external surface the outer ring 12, the attachment device configured to attach the cup holder 10 to an external object, such as a piece of luggage, a tray table, a vent in a vehicle, or any other desired surface. For example, as shown in the Figures, the attachment device may comprise a device configured to secure the cup holder 10 to a pair of handles 54 that upwardly extend from a piece of luggage 52. The device may comprise an outer ring arm extending from the outer ring 12, wherein the outer ring arm comprises an outer ring single hook arm 16 and an outer ring multi hook arm 18 configured to engage with one another, wherein each of the outer ring single hook arm 16 and the outer ring multi hook arm 18 comprise a gripping gap region 20 configured to accommodate and grip the handles 54, securing the cup holder 10 to the luggage 52.

As shown, for example, in FIG. 7, the outer ring single hook arm 16 may have a single hook 32 positioned at an end of the outer ring single hook arm 16 distal from the handle 54, wherein the single hook 32 may curve inwards toward the outer ring 12. The outer ring multi hook arm 18 may have a plurality of hooks 34 at an end of the outer ring multi hook arm 18 distal from the handle 54, wherein the hooks 34 may curve outwards away from the outer ring 12. The single hook 32 may be configured to engage with one of the hooks 34 to close the outer ring arm around the handles 54. Which hook 34 the single hook 32 engages with may depend on the width of the handles 54. Thus, the size of the outer ring arm may be adjustable, as needed.

As shown in the Figures, extending outwardly from the outer ring 12 proximate to the outer ring multi hook arm 18 may be a plurality of teeth 30. A one-handle clip 96 may be attached to the outer ring multi hook arm 18, wherein the one-handle clip 96 comprises a sleeve 98 that wraps around the outer ring multi hook arm 18 and a clip arm 100 that extends from the sleeve 98 towards the teeth 30. The clip arm 100 may be configured to curve inwards toward the outer ring 12 to engage with the teeth 30 to help secure the cup holder 10 in place during use.

As mentioned above, the outer ring 12 may be rotationally attached to the middle ring 36, wherein the middle ring 36 has a diameter smaller than the diameter of the outer ring 12. For example, as shown in the Figures, the outer ring 12 may comprise a pair of outer ring pin orifices 14. The middle ring 36 may comprise a pair of middle ring pivot pins 40 extending outwardly therefrom, wherein the middle ring pivot pins 40 align with and are configured to engage with the outer ring pin orifices 14, as shown, for example, in FIG. 7. The outer ring pin orifices 14 may be positioned about 180 degrees apart from each other about the outer ring 12. Similarly, the middle ring pivot pins 40 may be positioned about 180 degrees apart from each other about the middle ring 36. As a result, the middle ring 36 may be configured to pivot freely within the outer ring 12, as shown in, for example, FIGS. 2, 3, and 18A.

As also mentioned above, the middle ring 36 may be rotationally attached to the inner ring 42, wherein the middle ring 36 has a diameter larger than the diameter of the inner ring 42. Similar to the interaction of the outer ring 12 and the middle ring 36, the middle ring 36 may comprise a pair of middle ring pin orifices 38, and the inner ring 42 may comprise a pair of inner ring pivot pins 44 extending outwardly from a surface thereof, wherein the inner ring pivot pins 44 align with and are configured to engage with the middle ring pin orifices 38, as shown in FIG. 7. The middle ring pin orifices 38 may be positioned about 180 degrees apart from each other about the middle ring 12. Each middle ring pin orifice 38 may also be about 90 degrees apart from a middle ring pivot pin 40 about the middle ring, such that the middle ring 36 comprises a first middle ring pivot pin 40, a first middle ring pin orifice 38, a second middle ring pivot pin 40, and a second middle ring pin orifice 38 equally spaced about the circumference of the middle ring 36 The inner ring pivot pins 44 may be positioned about 180 degrees apart from each other about the inner ring 42 to align with their respective middle ring pin orifices 38. As a result, the inner ring 42 may be configured to pivot freely within the middle ring 36, as shown in, for example, FIG. 3. Thus, the cup holder 10 may comprise a mechanism having two axis of rotation—the first being defined by the interaction of the inner ring 42 and the middle ring 36, and the second being defined by the interaction of the middle ring 36 and the outer ring 12. Thus, the structure of the cup holder 10 may be gyroscopic-like, or gimbaled.

In embodiments, and as described above, the cup holder 10 may be sized to accommodate a beverage container 46 configured to hold a volume of liquid 48. Because of the gyroscopic-like nature of the cup holder 10, the center of gravity 50 of the container 46 may remain constant while the container 46 is positioned within the cup holder 10, even when in motion. In other words, the rings 12, 36, 42 will rotate as necessary to keep the center of gravity 50 substantially constant, preventing or reducing spillage of the liquid 48 from the container 46. The weight of the container 46 and liquid 48 may drive the rotation of the rings 12, 36, 42. In some embodiments, the inner ring 42 may be sized to accommodate a beverage container 46. However, in the case where the container 46 is to large to fit within the inner ring 42, the inner ring 42 may be removed and the container 46 may be accommodated within the middle ring 36. While this results in a greater number of containers 46 being able to be held by the cup holder 10, removing the inner ring 42 does remove an axis of rotation. Additionally, in some embodiments, the inner ring 42 may comprise a netting (not shown) extending downwardly therefrom, wherein the netting may help prevent a container 46 from falling through the cup holder 10.

In addition to or as an alternative to the outer ring arm, the cup holder 10 may comprise a variety of additional (or alternative) devices to secure the cup holder 10 to another object. For example, in some embodiments, the cup holder 10 may include a strapping system attached to a strapped outer ring 118, such as a hook and loop strapping system or a strap 120 with a clasp 122, extending from the outer ring 12, in addition to or in place of the outer ring arm.

Moreover, the cup holder 10 may further comprise an outer ring clip 22 configured to engage with securing attachments, wherein the securing attachments may be used to secure the cup holder 10 to another object. The securing attachments may be removable and interchangeable, depending on the desired use by the user. In some embodiments, the outer ring clip 22 may comprise a T-shaped tab comprising a vertical arm 24 extending from a horizontal arm 26, wherein a vertical slot 28 is formed between the T-shaped tab and the outer ring 12, the T-shaped tab being configured to engage with the securing attachments. For example, as shown in FIG. 9, the outer ring clip 22 may be designed to engage with a horizontal bar clip 56, wherein the horizontal bar clip 56 comprises a T-slot 62 defined by a pair of horizontal clip arms 58 that are configured to engage with the vertical slots 28, such that the T-shaped tab may be accommodated within the T-slot 62. The horizontal bar clip 56 may be configured to engage with a horizontal bar 72, such as a bicycle handlebar or a stroller handlebar. As shown in FIG. 10, the horizontal bar clip 56 may comprise a clip ring arm 66 configured to at least partially encircle or envelope a horizontal bar 72, wherein the clip ring arm 66 may be secured around the horizontal bar 72 using any suitable fastener, such as a threaded rod 68 configured to extend through a slot 70 in the clip ring arm 66, wherein the threaded rod 68 is secured in place with a securement knob 64, such as a nut.

Other securing attachments may also be used in conjunction with the outer ring clip 22. For example, the securing attachment may comprise a tray table clip 74, as shown in FIGS. 12A, 12B, and 14, a vent clip 86, as shown in FIGS. 14 and 15, a vertical bar clip 102, as shown in FIGS. 16 and 17, a combination vertical/horizontal bar clip (not shown), or the like. In fact, any securing attachment is envisioned for securing the cup holder 10 to any desired object.

In the case of the tray table clip 74, the tray table clip 64 may comprise a pair of vertical clipping arms 76 and a horizontal clipping T-slot 78 configured to engage with the T-shaped tab on the outer ring clip 22. The tray table clip 74 may also comprise a major slot 80 and an angled minor slot 82, wherein the major slot 80 may be configured to accommodate an edge of a tray table 84, and the minor slot 82 may extend downwardly away from the tray table 84, such that the minor slot 82 can engage with, for example, a pocket on the back of an airplane seat, as shown in FIG. 12B.

When used, the vent clip 86 may also comprise a vent clip T-slot 90 defined by a pair of vent clip vertical clipping arms 88, wherein the vent clip T-slot 90 is configured to engage with the T-tab on the outer ring clip 22. The vent clip 86 may comprise a pair of support arms 92 extending outwardly away from the outer ring clip 22, wherein an upper support arm comprises a structure configured to secure to a vent bar 94 in an air vent, such as an automobile's air vent, as shown in FIG. 15, and a lower support arm comprises a structure configured to prevent the cup holder 10 from sagging downwards while in use.

The vertical bar clip 102 may be similar in structure to the horizontal bar clip 56, but oriented in a way to accommodate a vertical bar 116. For example, as shown in FIGS. 16 and 17, the vertical bar clip 102 may comprise a T-slot defined by a pair of vertical bar clip arms 104 that are configured to engage with the vertical slots 28, such that the T-shaped tab may be accommodated within the T-slot 62. As shown in FIG. 17, the vertical bar clip 102 may comprise a clip ring arm 110 configured to at least partially encircle or envelope a vertical bar 116, wherein the clip ring arm 110 may be secured around the vertical bar 116 using any suitable fastener, such as a pivoting threaded rod 112 that is secured in place with a securement knob 108, such as a nut. In an alternate embodiments, the securing attachment may comprise a bar clip that can be rotated to function as either a horizontal bar clip or a vertical bar clip.

Persons of ordinary skill in the art may appreciate that numerous design configurations may be possible to enjoy the functional benefits of the inventive systems. Thus, given the wide variety of configurations and arrangements of embodiments of the present invention the scope of the invention is reflected by the breadth of the claims below rather than narrowed by the embodiments described above. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A cup holder configured to hold and stabilize a beverage container, reducing the likelihood of a liquid being spilled out of the beverage container, the cup holder being configured to attach to an external object, the cup holder comprising: an inner ring configured to accommodate the beverage container; a middle ring rotationally attached to the inner ring, creating a first axis of rotation, the middle ring having a diameter larger than the inner ring; an outer ring rotationally attached to the middle ring, creating a second axis of rotation, the outer ring having a diameter larger than the middle ring; and an attachment device extending from an external surface the outer ring, the attachment device configured to attach the cup holder to the external object.
 2. The cup holder of claim 1, wherein the inner ring is removable and the middle ring is configured to accommodate the beverage container.
 3. The cup holder of claim 1, wherein the attachment device comprises a device configured to secure the cup holder to a pair of handles that upwardly extend from a piece of luggage.
 4. The cup holder of claim 3, wherein the device configured to secure the cup holder to the pair of handles comprises: an outer ring arm extending from the outer ring, the outer ring arm comprising: an outer ring single hook arm; and an outer ring multi hook arm configured to engage with the outer ring single hook arm, wherein each of the outer ring single hook arm and the outer ring multi hook arm comprises a gripping gap region configured to accommodate and grip one of the pair of handles, securing the cup holder to the luggage.
 5. The cup holder of claim 4, wherein: the outer ring single hook arm comprises a single hook positioned at a distal end of the outer ring single hook arm, the single hook curving inwards toward the outer ring; the outer ring multi hook arm comprises a plurality of hooks at a distal end of the outer ring multi hook arm, each of the plurality of hooks curving outwards away from the outer ring; and the single hook is configured to engage with a desired hook of the plurality of hooks to close the outer ring arm around the handles, securing the cup holder to the handles.
 6. The cup holder of claim 1, wherein the attachment device comprises a strapping system extending from the outer ring, the strapping system comprising a member selected from the group consisting of a hook and loop strapping system and a strap with a clasp, the strapping system configured to attach the cup holder to the external object.
 7. The cup holder of claim 1, wherein: the outer ring comprises a pair of outer ring pin orifices equally spaced about a circumference of the outer ring; the middle ring comprises a pair of middle ring pivot pins and a pair of middle ring pin orifices equally spaced about a circumference of the middle ring; the inner ring comprises a pair of inner ring pivot pins equally spaced about a circumference of the inner ring; the middle ring pivot pins extend outwardly from the middle ring to align and engage with the outer ring pin orifices; and the inner ring pivot pins extend outwardly from the inner ring to align and engage with the middle ring pin orifices.
 8. The cup holder of claim 1, wherein the attachment device comprises an outer ring clip comprising a T-shaped tab configured to engage with a removable and interchangeable securing attachment comprising a T-slot.
 9. The cup holder of claim 8, wherein the securing attachment is selected from the group consisting of a horizontal bar clip, a vertical bar clip, a combination horizontal/vertical bar clip, and a vent clip.
 10. A cup holder configured to hold and stabilize a beverage container, reducing the likelihood of a liquid being spilled out of the beverage container, the cup holder being configured to attach to an external object, the cup holder comprising: an inner ring configured to accommodate the beverage container; a middle ring rotationally attached to the inner ring, creating a first axis of rotation, the middle ring having a diameter larger than the inner ring; an outer ring rotationally attached to the middle ring, creating a second axis of rotation, the outer ring having a diameter larger than the middle ring; and an outer ring arm extending from the outer ring, the outer ring arm comprising: an outer ring single hook arm; and an outer ring multi hook arm configured to engage with the outer ring single hook arm, wherein each of the outer ring single hook arm and the outer ring multi hook arm comprises a gripping gap region configured to accommodate and grip the external object, securing the cup holder to the external object; and an outer ring clip extending from the external surface of the outer ring, the outer ring clip comprising a T-shaped tab configured to engage with a removable and interchangeable securing attachment comprising a T-slot, the removable and interchangeable securing attachment configured to secure the cup holder to an additional external object. 